Cover of the Week: "Amazing Spider-Man" Soars Above the Rest

Each Monday, staff writers Kevin Melrose and Steve Sunu discuss their five favorite covers from the previous Wednesday's new comic releases, selecting from among them CBR's Cover of the Week.

Keep reading for Kevin and Steve's favorites from the week of April 30, and then discuss your choices in the CBR forums.

"Black Science" #6, by Matteo Scalera (Image Comics)

I'm already a big fan of Matteo Scalera's work, on "Black Science" as well as on "Dead Body Road," but what drew me in here is the delightfully pulpish nature of the cover, with its "mad scientist's lab" setting -- the giant gears, the crackling orbs of energy. It's like something out of "Frankenstein." -- Kevin Melrose

"Chew" #41, by Rob Guillory (Image Comics)

Rob Guillory's cover just makes me laugh. Not only did he find a great way to depict a bit of the issue's story (it takes place in Las Vegas), but he managed to incorporate everything a cover needs in a single image -- including the $2.99 price tag. The slot machine concept is fantastic, with phrases like "You gets paid!!!" and "Death by Chicken!!" on the possible payouts. Everything from the beet handle to the character profiles on the coins is just perfect. -- Steve Sunu

"Southern Bastards" #1, by Jason Latour (Image Comics)

Jason Latour's "Southern Bastards" cover is just unsettling, in the best, most evocative way. The artist's jersey-clad antagonists are bathed in red tones, reminiscent of the hot Southern sun, even as the figure in the foreground holds a detailed bat -- more like a cudgel, actually. The detail and creepy factor on the figures' faces is the true measurement of Latour's skill as an artist, and gives a great idea of what to expect from the interiors. -- Steve Sunu

"Vertigo Quarterly: Cyan," by Jared K. Fletcher (Vertigo)

Jared K. Fletcher's cover for "Vertigo Quarterly: Cyan" hits all the right points for the anthology series. It's a simple but effective design that can be used for all four installments in the miniseries, and the focus is on color rather than a central image. It's a great way to express the central theme. -- Steve Sunu

COVER OF THE WEEK: "The Amazing Spider-Man" #1, by Marcos Martin (Marvel)

This Marcos Martin variant cover bowled me over when I first saw it in mid-January, and the passing of time hasn't done a thing to lessen its impact. I'll repeat here what I said then: It's simply breathtaking. Grumble all you want about the resurgence of variant covers, but every once in a while they lead to pieces like this -- primarily because the artist is loosened from the constraints of the "standard" cover. In this case, it means not only can the book's logo be jettisoned in favor of a clean, modern sans serif, but the entire image can be flipped, so the reader gets a somewhat-disorienting view of New York as Spider-Man flips through the air. (We won't get bogged down by wondering from what building he's swinging or leaping from; let's say an airplane.) There's a joy to this image, too -- not just in the bright, oversaturated covers, but also in the wall-crawler's posture as he soars, unrestrained, above the city he loves. -- Kevin Melrose